To my lasting shame I didn't learn to swim until I was 12 years old, I can remember Mr Wells would take us up to Woodcock St baths and because I was scared of the water I used to hide in the changing room and wait until the lesson was finished, my friend Alan used to hand me his wet trunks and I'd rub them on my hair so it appeared damp and as though I'd actually been in the water.

It was another friend called John Chapman who actually taught me how to swim, I guess for me, Mr Wells didn't quite cut the mustard as a swimming coach, but then, why should he?...he was a Music Teacher. I picked it up pretty fast and found, without being bigheaded, I was a very good swimmer indeed, I could dive all the boards including top and swim around in any depth of water.

I do remember Woodcock St baths during the Summer holidays however, They used to do a thing called 'Sessions' then, I cant remember now but I think it lasted about an hour. I used to scrounge the money off my Mom to go, I did this by sulking and moping around, (well, just being me really!) Sessions was mayhem..I tell you now you could dive into the water and just bounce of the bodies and come up dry on the other side..it was just like diving into a crowd at a Rock Concert...

I go home and Mom would say, 'I thought you were going swimming?' 'I did Mom' whack! 'dont you fib to me you little swine..' How could I tell her that an hour session at Woodcock St baths at the hight of the summer holidays often meant you never actually touched any water? But you just got to rub your body up against the other scruffy, screaming little schoolkids. I was poor then, but...(sniff) I was happy.

Where was Woodcock St baths.? I remember the name so well, I remember an area around Duke St police station, ( walked past never been in side), then there was a youth club ( large building with a flat roof and chicken wire around the top to stop us throwing people off I surpose) off the main Rd I could walk down a street on the right was a pub down a little more then there was a bombed site the pub was on a corner of another small Rd, as you walked along there was a high wall, ( I onced looked over it and saw there was a drop of about 20ft or more, ) not the best place to jump over, further along the road spilt and in the centre was a small restarunt ( very nice ), well it was back then when I was 12 years old, I have so many pictures in my mind but they are hard to place together, does anyone know or remember a youth club that had the inside made into a old gallon with ropes and maps ( made out of plaster of paris on the walls), ropes and rails it was run by the birmingham education department, and was just a youth club.....J2 ( my swiss cheese ant what it used tobe )

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Sex is like air...it's not that important unless you arn't getting any....

Hello KandorWhat school did you go to.Lots of history around Duke Street and Woodcock Street.I learned to swim at Wodcock Street and jump into the water.Very brave thing for me to do.The Mounted Police had horses stabled in Duke Street and they would be ridden to Castle Bromwich for exercise. The School Clinic was not far away.Lets be hearing from you all.Gerald.

Hello Gerald, I began at Cromwell St, Junior and Infants, that was late 56 until 1963.From there I went to Loxton St, (63/64) Duddeston Manor from September 64 until 67 when I left school to begin work as an Apprentice Plumber.